Amnesty fic 1: Snape and Percy
Feb. 6th, 2004 01:25 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
icarusAlas, my failed SSFF fic. I could never get it off the ground. For some reason I fell out of love with Snape once OotP came out. JKR's characterisation is just not as nasty as it once was. A pity.
Dragon’s Eye Cave
by Icarus
The rocks of Dragon's Eye Park were near the house where Severus Snape had spent the first five years of his life. They whistled with a cold breeze, while the sparse trees were stripped of all but a few of their last surviving leaves. Severus hadn't been here in years, and the trees he used to climb seemed to wizened and small. The large cave above him that blocked out the late afternoon sun alone looked as imposing as he remembered; it glared like an enormous eye at the glen below and gave the park its name.
Children had avoided this place as being full of Dark Magic -- the very reason Severus had sought it out. Not that a four-year-old was interested in Dark Magic, but it was guaranteed to give him some time alone. And Severus, even as a child, had always preferred to be alone.
Still, even he had never seen the place so deserted as it was now. Usually there was some movement, birds and squirrels, perhaps the occasional elderly witch who also sought quiet, who would inevitably watch him play and shout unheeded warnings as he climbed higher than his mother would approve.
Now there was nothing but the wind. It set Severus' nerves on edge, and minded him of the emptiness after a battle. Or the quiet before a storm.
"I didn't think you'd dare show your face. Snape."
The voice broke the silence like a whip-crack, and Severus spun around. It had come from slightly above him, the Dragon's Eye cave. His tactical awareness knew whoever it was had him at a disadvantage.
"You are a traitor, Snape." It was a cocky, arrogant tone, surely someone who knew his advantage and seemed certain of his righteousness.
Severus snorted. A traitor, eh? That was a given. But to whom? The hazards of playing both sides lay in these little traps, when you didn't know who your enemy was, or what side they were on. He let the young man -- oh, he was so obviously young -- sweat a bit before he answered, in a voice so soft. Let him strain to hear.
"A traitor?" And he folded his arms calmly, surreptitiously loosening his wand in its sheath. "Really. To whom, praytell?"
"To everyone but yourself." The harsh voice revealed nothing of the man's identity, and his answer was of no use whatsoever.
Severus started to laugh. Of all the absurd notions...
Finally he said, "You have just described an intelligent man, and pretty much everyone I know who survived the last war. I should thank you for the compliment, were it intended as such. I take it you believe in 'noble causes'?"
"I believe in justice." The voice was so certain. Justice, hmmm? A Gryffindor, probably. He was on Dumbledore's side perhaps, or at the Minister of Magic's beck and call. Though there were a few Gryffindor with the Dark Lord as well...
"Then you believe in death. Your own, most likely," he answered. Let the boy think about that.
"Is that a threat, Snape?" that voice goaded in a smug tone.
"It's a promise," Severus hissed, not liking this man at all.
His hand slid inside his sleeve, though he was willing to bet this Gryffindor would start a formal duel rather than the more intelligent course of simply flinging spells from his advantageous position. The trouble was not winning against this insolent child, but rather upsetting the delicate balance of his life as a spy. Who was he with? Who would come to avenge him? What would he have proved by responding to this mindless provocation? He was a little far for this, but... he knew the direction, and the natural funnel of the cave should help focus...
"Legilimens!"
And nothing happened, not even resistance. It was as if he hadn't cast his mind at the other man at all. Severus was staggered -- who was this?
There was a moment’s breathless silence, as the wind picked up again. Suddenly, Severus realised that although he could hear its cold whine, see it bend and sway the twisted trees, he could not feel the wind on his face. Nor did it press his robes to his body as it should, though he was cold, very cold. That is what fooled him before. Of course. Severus was irritated that he had revealed his ignorance by casting Legilimens here, though he could play that to his advantage, pretend to know less than he did… but that insufferable arrogant voice kept him from this practical course of action.
“Are you caught here as well, or is this your doing?” he asked. He would not be taken for a fool.
“Are you trapped, Severus?” The insolence, calling him by his given name! Yes-of-course he was trapped! as that smug voice clearly knew. And if he could cast Dolce Loca, Severus would have to watch his step. It was no mean feat, and…
…god, you are slow today, Severus. It had to be someone who knew he slept with his wand under his pillow, the only circumstance where you could trap another in their own dream. Usually one could only cast it on oneself. (Why on earth was he here of all places?) So, it was someone he’d slept with. That narrowed the list more than Severus cared to admit. Considerably younger than him… Gryffindor… capable of NEWT-level magic… oh hell.
“Percy.” It certainly didn’t resolve which side he was on. And knowing that young man, he wasn’t even aware how close he was treading towards the dark. Percival Weasley was so well-named, and he would need the luck of his innocent namesake to survive, too. “How is Lucius these days?”
Emphasis on the ‘how’, insultingly, Severus hoped. Percy was all too easy to needle.
“You’re getting old, Severus. That took a lot longer than I expected.”
Stick the knife in, and twist. Yes, he had definitely been spending time with Malfoy -- that wasn’t Cornelius’ style. No doubt Percy had held hopes of redeeming Lucius. Initially. That would play right into Lucius’ hands. Severus really ought not to be so amused to find a fallen Weasley, but, it was all so rare and rather refreshing. See here your golden boy, Albus? Not only Snapes fail you.
“It is good to see you again, Percy,” he let the irony creep into his voice, “or it would be, if weren’t skulking in that cavern…” A superior smile tugged on the corner of his lip. One of the benefits of fighting a former lover is that you knew them well.
Percy edged forward, still softly shadowed in the mouth of the cave. He saluted Severus with his wand, acknowledging the manipulation as well as its success. Oh, he had grown up, had he?
“Good to see you, too, Severus,” he said, nothing less than polite under any circumstances.
Dragon’s Eye Cave
by Icarus
The rocks of Dragon's Eye Park were near the house where Severus Snape had spent the first five years of his life. They whistled with a cold breeze, while the sparse trees were stripped of all but a few of their last surviving leaves. Severus hadn't been here in years, and the trees he used to climb seemed to wizened and small. The large cave above him that blocked out the late afternoon sun alone looked as imposing as he remembered; it glared like an enormous eye at the glen below and gave the park its name.
Children had avoided this place as being full of Dark Magic -- the very reason Severus had sought it out. Not that a four-year-old was interested in Dark Magic, but it was guaranteed to give him some time alone. And Severus, even as a child, had always preferred to be alone.
Still, even he had never seen the place so deserted as it was now. Usually there was some movement, birds and squirrels, perhaps the occasional elderly witch who also sought quiet, who would inevitably watch him play and shout unheeded warnings as he climbed higher than his mother would approve.
Now there was nothing but the wind. It set Severus' nerves on edge, and minded him of the emptiness after a battle. Or the quiet before a storm.
"I didn't think you'd dare show your face. Snape."
The voice broke the silence like a whip-crack, and Severus spun around. It had come from slightly above him, the Dragon's Eye cave. His tactical awareness knew whoever it was had him at a disadvantage.
"You are a traitor, Snape." It was a cocky, arrogant tone, surely someone who knew his advantage and seemed certain of his righteousness.
Severus snorted. A traitor, eh? That was a given. But to whom? The hazards of playing both sides lay in these little traps, when you didn't know who your enemy was, or what side they were on. He let the young man -- oh, he was so obviously young -- sweat a bit before he answered, in a voice so soft. Let him strain to hear.
"A traitor?" And he folded his arms calmly, surreptitiously loosening his wand in its sheath. "Really. To whom, praytell?"
"To everyone but yourself." The harsh voice revealed nothing of the man's identity, and his answer was of no use whatsoever.
Severus started to laugh. Of all the absurd notions...
Finally he said, "You have just described an intelligent man, and pretty much everyone I know who survived the last war. I should thank you for the compliment, were it intended as such. I take it you believe in 'noble causes'?"
"I believe in justice." The voice was so certain. Justice, hmmm? A Gryffindor, probably. He was on Dumbledore's side perhaps, or at the Minister of Magic's beck and call. Though there were a few Gryffindor with the Dark Lord as well...
"Then you believe in death. Your own, most likely," he answered. Let the boy think about that.
"Is that a threat, Snape?" that voice goaded in a smug tone.
"It's a promise," Severus hissed, not liking this man at all.
His hand slid inside his sleeve, though he was willing to bet this Gryffindor would start a formal duel rather than the more intelligent course of simply flinging spells from his advantageous position. The trouble was not winning against this insolent child, but rather upsetting the delicate balance of his life as a spy. Who was he with? Who would come to avenge him? What would he have proved by responding to this mindless provocation? He was a little far for this, but... he knew the direction, and the natural funnel of the cave should help focus...
"Legilimens!"
And nothing happened, not even resistance. It was as if he hadn't cast his mind at the other man at all. Severus was staggered -- who was this?
There was a moment’s breathless silence, as the wind picked up again. Suddenly, Severus realised that although he could hear its cold whine, see it bend and sway the twisted trees, he could not feel the wind on his face. Nor did it press his robes to his body as it should, though he was cold, very cold. That is what fooled him before. Of course. Severus was irritated that he had revealed his ignorance by casting Legilimens here, though he could play that to his advantage, pretend to know less than he did… but that insufferable arrogant voice kept him from this practical course of action.
“Are you caught here as well, or is this your doing?” he asked. He would not be taken for a fool.
“Are you trapped, Severus?” The insolence, calling him by his given name! Yes-of-course he was trapped! as that smug voice clearly knew. And if he could cast Dolce Loca, Severus would have to watch his step. It was no mean feat, and…
…god, you are slow today, Severus. It had to be someone who knew he slept with his wand under his pillow, the only circumstance where you could trap another in their own dream. Usually one could only cast it on oneself. (Why on earth was he here of all places?) So, it was someone he’d slept with. That narrowed the list more than Severus cared to admit. Considerably younger than him… Gryffindor… capable of NEWT-level magic… oh hell.
“Percy.” It certainly didn’t resolve which side he was on. And knowing that young man, he wasn’t even aware how close he was treading towards the dark. Percival Weasley was so well-named, and he would need the luck of his innocent namesake to survive, too. “How is Lucius these days?”
Emphasis on the ‘how’, insultingly, Severus hoped. Percy was all too easy to needle.
“You’re getting old, Severus. That took a lot longer than I expected.”
Stick the knife in, and twist. Yes, he had definitely been spending time with Malfoy -- that wasn’t Cornelius’ style. No doubt Percy had held hopes of redeeming Lucius. Initially. That would play right into Lucius’ hands. Severus really ought not to be so amused to find a fallen Weasley, but, it was all so rare and rather refreshing. See here your golden boy, Albus? Not only Snapes fail you.
“It is good to see you again, Percy,” he let the irony creep into his voice, “or it would be, if weren’t skulking in that cavern…” A superior smile tugged on the corner of his lip. One of the benefits of fighting a former lover is that you knew them well.
Percy edged forward, still softly shadowed in the mouth of the cave. He saluted Severus with his wand, acknowledging the manipulation as well as its success. Oh, he had grown up, had he?
“Good to see you, too, Severus,” he said, nothing less than polite under any circumstances.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2004-02-07 03:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-02-07 09:51 am (UTC)